After a failed weight cut forced Aspen Ladd out of her planned UFC Fight Night bout with Macy Chiasson on Oct. 2, a bit of good fortune allowed Ladd to score a fight just two weeks later. Ladd will now move up to featherweight to face Norma Dumont in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Stepping on the scales for the canceled fight with Chiasson, Ladd appeared to be on the verge of fainting, wobbling badly while weighing in at 137 pounds for the 135-pound bout. Ladd also had a notably scary weight cut in June 2019, another time she looked awful on the scales before suffering a knockout loss in just 16 seconds against Germaine de Randamie. California suspended Ladd from fighting at the weight unless she followed a commission-approved nutrition plan and was supervised by medical professionals after the 2019 scare.
Can't get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news, including a complete preview of UFC Fight Night from Las Vegas on Saturday night below.
Dumont was scheduled to face Holly Holm on Saturday night, but an injury forced Holm out of the fight and left a main event opening. Ladd got the call, moving up 10 pounds to featherweight where her weight issues should be less of a concern.
While Ladd has won one fight since the knockout against de Randamie, Dumont is riding a two-fight winning streak since suffering a knockout in her own lone career loss.
Veteran mainstays fill out the rest of this Fight Night event from Las Vegas. Former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski returns to take on the latest rising contender in the division in Carlos Felipe. Arlovski, 42, has been somewhat of a gatekeeper for the division's rising challengers while being as active as ever with nine fights in the last three years. Plus, a UFC record will be broken on Saturday night when Jim Miller makes his 38th walk to the Octagon to take on Erick Gonzalez at lightweight. Miller could move into a tie for second for most wins in UFC history with Demian Maia with another victory in this spot.
Here's the fight card for UFC Fight Night with the latest odds from Caesars Sportsbook.
UFC Fight Night card, odds
| Favorite | Underdog | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
Aspen Ladd (9-1) -130 | Norma Dumont (6-1) +110 | Women's featherweight |
Carlos Felipe (11-1) -115 | Andrei Arlovski (31-20, 2 NC) -105 | Heavyweight |
Jim Miller (32-16) -220 | Erick Gonzalez (14-5) +180 | Lightweight |
| Manon Fiorot (7-1) -240 | Mayra Bueno Silva (7-1-1) +200 | Women's flyweight |
| Ludvoit Klein (17-3) -380 | Nate Landwehr (14-4) +300 | Featherweight |
UFC Fight Night viewing information
Date: Oct. 16 | Start time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: UFC Apex -- Las Vegas, Nevada
Stream: ESPN+
Prediction
Aspen Ladd vs. Norma Dumont: There are a lot of odd variables to this fight. Ladd is moving up in weight and doing so two weeks after looking miserable and being forced out of a fight after a failed cut. Dumont has won three of her four most recent fights, but one win came via split decision and another by majority decision. That inability to pick up clear wins combined with Ladd's weight issues make for a very strange fight. Dumont will be the bigger, harder-hitting fighter and that might be enough to get the job done against someone who has been on a roller coaster emotionally and with her weight over the past 14 days. Pick: Norma Dumont via TKO3
Who wins Ladd vs. Dumont? And what other picks do you need to see for a parlay with a payout of 4-1? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed top picks on UFC Fight Night, all from the insider who's up nearly $9,200 on MMA picks in the past year, and find out.